EDMONTON, September 10, 2004....Tim Hortons, the largest quick service restaurant chain in Canada, specializing in always fresh coffee, baked goods and homestyle lunches, will become the title sponsor of the Brier (Canadian men's curling championship), beginning with the 2005 event in Edmonton, it was announced today by the Canadian Curling Association (CCA).

The three-year sponsorship agreement, with a three-year option, also grants to Tim Hortons, which has been an 'official supplier' to curling's Season of Champions since 1995, title sponsorship of the 2005 Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax.

"This is tremendous news for the Brier, the Trials, for curling and its millions of fans across Canada," said CCA President Barry Greenberg. "Over the past 10 years, the CCA and host organizing committees have enjoyed an excellent relationship with Tim Hortons during its involvement with our national curling championships. We are extremely pleased to now welcome Tim Hortons in its new role as title sponsor of both the Brier and Canadian Curling Trials and are thrilled to be able to continue our relationship with such a highly-respected, loyal, people-friendly company for, hopefully, many years to come."

The extensive agreement allows the CCA to complete the 'player cresting program', proposed last year, which already provided $75,000 to Brier participants in exchange for wearing the title sponsor crest. Now, an additional $130,000 will be made available to the four playoff teams at the Brier, with the amount for each team determined by the marketing and television exposure value of the cresting position.

In addition, the CCA will create, in the near future, a national 'Timbits Little Rock Program' for very young curlers. As well, a replica Brier Tankard will be commissioned, which will allow numerous Brier promotional activities to take place across the country throughout the year.

"Tim Hortons has been a strong supporter of Canadian curling for over a decade, so this sponsorship agreement is a natural extension of the chain's support to the development of sports in Canada," said Bill Moir, Executive Vice President, Marketing, Tim Hortons. "The sport of curling, similar to the Tim Hortons brand, has a unique Canadian identity and community appeal. Becoming the title sponsor of the Tim Hortons Brier and the Tim Hortons Canadian Curling Trials was a great fit for us."

The 2005 Tim Hortons Brier will be played at Rexall Place in Edmonton, March 5-13 while the Tim Hortons Canadian Curling Trials, which will select the men's and women's teams that will earn the right to represent Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, is slated for December 3-11, 2005 at the Metro Centre in Halifax.

Tim Hortons becomes only the fourth title sponsor of the Canadian men's curling championship since it began in 1927 in Toronto. Macdonald Tobacco sponsored the Brier for the first 50 years, until Labatt Brewing Company took over in 1980. Nokia then replaced Labatt's as title sponsor from 2001-2004.

During the past 25 years, the Brier has grown tremendously in popularity, both as an attended event and as a television attraction. The average minute audience for the Brier final has averaged approximately 1.2 million viewers during the past two years. In addition, record crowds in recent years have pushed the Brier to new levels. The attendance record of 248,793 was set in 2000 in Saskatoon, followed by Calgary's 245,296 in 2002 and Edmonton's 242,887 in 1999.

In 2005, more than 70 hours of live Brier coverage and/or repeat programming on CBC-TV and Country Canada, its digital channel, will be aired across the country. Local organizers are hoping to smash the existing attendance mark, cautiously optimistic that the championship will attract more than 250,000 fans for the nine-day event.

The winner of the 2005 Tim Hortons Brier, which will be presented, once again, by Sheraton Hotels & Resorts for the seventh consecutive year, will still be handed the Brier Tankard, the original solid silver trophy created for the Macdonald Brier from 1927 through 1979. When Labatt's came on board in 1980, the famous Labatt Tankard was designed and presented to the Canadian championship-winning team. When Nokia took over, the CCA refurbished the 'original trophy' for presentation again, beginning in 2001.

Founded in 1964, Tim Hortons (www.timhortons.com) now has more than 2,350 stores across Canada and 231 locations in key markets in the United States.

The 2006 Tim Hortons Brier will be contested in Regina, March 11-19.

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